The documentary series’ directors and producers are accused of using footage without permission

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in “Wild Wild Country” (courtesy of Netflix)

Netflix’s Emmy-winning 2018 documentary series “Wild Wild Country” is the subject of a new copyright infringement lawsuit. Directors Chapman and Maclain Way, Duplass Brothers Productions, and Netflix have been sued by the Osho International Foundation—a group that promotes the teachings of the documentary’s subject, controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (aka Osho).

In the complaint, viewed by Pitchfork, Osho International claims a number of their copyrighted videos were used without permission. Filmmaker Michael Hilow, another plaintiff in the lawsuit, says footage from his 1993 documentary Rajneeshpuram an Experiment to Provoke God was also used without his permission.

The lawsuit asserts that the first episode of “Wild Wild Country” features 88 instances of copyright infringement across 12 minutes total—“roughly a quarter of the episode’s total duration.” The lawsuit claims that the directors, producers, and Netflix were notified of the infringement allegations in February 2018 and “failed to meaningfully respond.” Osho International and Hilow are seeking profits from the series as well as damages. Pitchfork has reached out to Netflix for comment.

Priyanka Chopra announced yesterday that she and Barry Levinson are working on a biopic based on “Wild Wild Country.” Chopra is set to star in the film, presumably as Ma Anand Sheela.